Jerusalem crisis: Julia Hartley-Brewer says we must takes sides on Israel-Palestine as 'one is a democracy, the other a nasty regime'

Julia Hartley-Brewer has said we should take sides on the Israel-Hamas issue, as one is a modern democracy and the other is a nasty, intolerant, totalitarian regime.

Hamas, which rules in the Gaza Strip, has called for an intifada in response for Trump's announcement that he will henceforth recognise Jerusalem as Israel's capital. Many people around the world have expressed support for the Palestinian side, suggesting the Israeli occupation is illegal and Trump is abetting this problem.

Julia, speaking to Labour MP Kate Hoey and former Tory MP Jerry Hayes, said that we must continue to criticise Israel over the unsavoury aspects of the Israeli government, but we mustn't forget the bigger picture: that Hamas is anti-democratic and barbaric.

She said: "Do Western democracies make their policy based on the fact that a bunch of people are going to go and riot, trash their own streets, because they don't like American foreign policy?

"I want there to be a two-state solution and I want there to be justice for the Palestinian people. But I'm also a supporter of democracy.

"We're constantly being told that we mustn't, the West, Britain, mustn't take sides. Why shouldn't we take sides?

"On what basis should we be taking no side between a Modern democracy and basically a nasty, intolerant, totalitarian regime which all the [surrounding Arab] states are?"

Julia stressed that she opposed Israeli settlements and the occupation of Gaza and the West Bank. But she added: "Isn’t every land that every country has fundamentally seized by force ultimately?"

Hoey responded by saying "I think we always have to be on the side of people and if people are being victimised terrorised we have to be supporting them."

But Hayes also said "the Arab world has done nothing to help the plight of the Palestinian people" and "this is a sore which they can pick and pick and pick and pick to get at Western democracies.

"What Trump says [about Jerusalem] I suppose in reality is correct, but there will be consequences and the consequences - well, is this going to be a recruiting sergeant for the very bad people? I feel that it is."